Royal Enfield Himalayan Odyssey returns after 2 years
Royal Enfield Himalayan Odyssey returns after 2 years 18th Himalayan Odyssey flagged-off from India Gate, Delhi
~ 18 Days | 70 motorcyclists | 2,700 Kms adventure to the world’s highest motorable pass at 19,024 ft
~ Aims at galvanizing the riding community towards adopting responsible travel practices with a zero ‘single-use-plastic’ ride
Delhi, July 2, 2022: Amid the thunderous roaring of over 70 Royal Enfield motorcycles and the contrasting chan ts of the lamas, early morning today at India Gate, the 18th edition of Royal Enfield Himalayan Odyssey was flag ged off in Delhi. With 70 riders embarking on a journey to Umling La, the highest motorable pass in the world, via some of the most breath-taking terrains in northern India, Himalayan Odyssey 2022 will witness riders covering a distance of over 2,700 kilometers in 18 days on their Royal Enfield Himalayan motorcycles. With a view to red uce impact on the fragile ecosystem of the Himalayas and also raise awareness about environment friendly tour ism, this edition of the Himalayan Odyssey will continue to root for the adoption of Responsible Travel practices by its rider community, in a bid to #LeaveEveryPlaceBetter.
Returning after a hiatus of three years, this year, the Himalayan Odyssey – one of the biggest and oldest motorc ycle rides of its kind in the Himlayas, will see ride rs follow two different routes. While both groups will be flagg ed off from Delhi together, one group will ride to Ladakh via the picturesque Manali route and the other will tra verse the rugged Sangla-Kaza route, before finally converging at Leh. Riding through Ladakh and Spiti will chal lenge the rider in terms of weather and terrain, while also experiencing an adventure of a lifetime.
Flagged off from the India Gate – New Delhi in the traditional Ladakhi ceremony, the riding contingent were ble ssed by Buddhist Lamas who chanted prayers to bless the riders at the flag-off ceremony. This year, participants for Himalayan Odyssey congregated from across Singapore, Saudia Arabia, the USA, as well as from cities like Mumbai, Pune, Madurai, Delhi, Bangalore, Anantapur and Vija yawada, among others, to be a part of this epic ride.
Speaking at the flag-off ceremony Mohit Dhar Jayal, Chief Brand Officer, Royal Enfield said, “The Himalayas are Royal Enfield’s spiritual home, and the Himalayan Odyssey is an ode to the undying spirit of exploration and motor cyc ling adventure since its inception in 1997. This edition marks a significant chapter in our endeavors to explore more as we travel to Umling La, the new highest motorable pass in the world. In 2019, we took a step towards reducing the plas tic footprint with our #LeaveEveryPlaceBetter initiative and this year we continue our journey towards preserving and sustaining the delicate environment of the Himalayas with our ‘Responsible Travel’ initiative. We hope our efforts will help nurture an environmentally aware and conscientious community of riders and these 70 riders will become an inspiration for responsible motorcycle journeys, for other riders as well.”
Traversing through some of the roughest terrains and highest mountain passes in the world, the Himalayan Od yssey contingent will continue to promote the concept of responsible motorcycle journey through various effo rts. In Himalayan Odyssey 2019, Royal Enfield introduced its #LeaveEveryPlaceBetter initiative which aimed at discouraging participants from using bottled water, and facilitating purified water by installing dispensers along the key riding route in Ladakh. In its efforts towards remaining green, this year, all participants have been given a Life Straw and a green kit to significantly reduce their plastic consumption. The ride will also encourage par ticipants to dispose of all waste responsibly during the ride.
Working with local communities and promoting them is also a key aspect of Royal Enfield’s Responsible Travel campaign. As part of this campaign, the brand has introduced several initiatives to empower the local commu ni ty by supporting over 60 homestays in remote locations in Ladakh, rural electrification with solar power imp act ing 682 households in rural Ladakh. Royal Enfield is also closely working with the local administrations to mo nitor waste management in these regions. This year, the cavalcade will also make a stop at Chumathang on 10th of July where Royal Enfield is supporting the Chumathang Football Tournament, which will see participation fro m almost 300 children.
June marks the start of the riding season in the Himalayas with thousands of riders traversing the Ladakh and Sp iti region of the Himalayas. Royal Enfield has set up a comprehensive service network in the region that caters to the riders who require service support at 17,982 feet. Under this program called the ‘Leh Rider’s Support’ the co mpany has nearly 66 service touch points across 6 routes with 175 skilled service technicians to ensure that the riders have a hassle-free riding experience throughout the riding season.
For more information on this ride, log in to- Himalayan Odyssey
Hashtags: #HO2022 | #HimalayanOdyssey | #RoyalEnfield
About Himalayan Odyssey:
Started in 1997, Himalayan Odyssey has been the ultimate motorcycling experience in the Himalayas and conti nues to encourage riders to fulfill their dream of riding to the Himalayas. It’s an adventure of self discovery and human endurance. A journey like Himalayan Odyssey is a life changing experience and over the 18 days, the rid ers will face each challenge together that will strengthen the sense of camaraderie amongst them and in the end leave every rider with memories which will remain deeply etched in the mind forever.
In Royal Enfield Himalayan Odyssey 2019, Royal Enfield initiated the #LeaveEveryPlaceBetter campaign which aimed at a zero ‘single-use-plastic-ride’ by discouraging participants from using bottled water, and facilitating purified water by employing dispensers along the way.
To cut down the use of single use plastic bottles, Royal Enfield set up community water purifiers along this route. Six purifiers were installed across strategic locations in the popular Manali Leh route- Keylong Service Centre, Sarchu Camps, Leh Service Centre, Nubra swiss Camps, Pangong Camps and Swiss camps in Debring, while three additional water purifiers were used throughout the journey for Himalayan Odyssey participants. Pure and filt ered water was made available to riders traversing this route, thereby negating the need to purchase single-use plastic water bottles
About Royal Enfield:
The oldest motorcycle brand in continuous production, Royal Enfield has created beautifully crafted motorc ycl es since 1901. From its British roots, a manufacturing plant was established in Madras in 1955, a foothold from which Royal Enfield spearheaded the growth of India’s mid-sized two-wheeler segment. Royal Enfields are enga ging, uncomplicated, accessible, and fun to ride; a vehicle for exploration and self-expression. It’s an approach the brand calls Pure Motorcycling.
Royal Enfield’s premium line-up includes the all-new Meteor 350 cruiser, Interceptor 650 and Continental GT 650 twins, the Himalayan, Scram 411 and the iconic Bullet 350 and Classic 350 singles. Riders and a passionate community are fostered with a rich profusion of events at a local, regional and international level. Most notable are Rider Mania, an annual gathering of thousands of Royal Enfield enthusiasts in Goa, and Himalayan Odyssey, a yearly pilgrimage over some of the toughest terrain and highest mountain passes.
A division of Eicher Motors Limited, Royal Enfield operates through 921 large format dealerships and 638 studio stores in all major cities and towns in India and exports to over 60 countries around the globe. The company’s tw o state-of-the-art production facilities are located at Oragadam and Vallam Vadagal, near Chennai. Royal Enfield recently invested in two world-class technical centers, in Bruntingthorpe, UK, and Chennai, India, and in 2020 op ened its first assembly unit outside India, in Buenos Aires, Argentina. With more than 17% growth year-on-year for the last 5 years and sales in international markets up 96% in 2019-20, Royal Enfield is the leader in the global mid-size motorcycle market.
For more information about Royal Enfield please visit: https://www.royalenfield.com
